ED issues FEMA notice to LeT terrorist, hawala dealers

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has issued a FEMA show cause notice to an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and two Delhi-based hawala dealers in connection with a terror financing case.

The central probe agency said it had issued the notice under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) against “Mohammed Ayub Mir and two other Delhi-based hawala dealers, Bech Raj Bengani and Harbans Singh”.

It said Mir was an active member of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Mir, it said, was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police when he was collecting Rs 7 lakh through hawala dealing from Singh on instructions of a London-based entity.

“Mir has confessed his association with the LeT. He was involved in collecting and delivering money through hawala for the terrorist organisation. Singh has also admitted that he was engaged in delivering the hawala payments on the instructions of Bengani,” the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

Bengani, it said, was a “racketeer in hawala trade and a regular offender, and was earlier booked under the FERA (now repealed) and a penalty of Rs 50 lakh was imposed on him in 1993”.

Mir and Singh were also convicted under POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) in 2004, the ED said.

“Further adjudication proceedings against the suspects under FEMA will follow,” it said. (AGENCIES)